In my first apartment living in Lansing, MI (which was located at Waverly Park Apts., on the corner of Jolly and Waverly roads) I experienced possibly the most graphic paranormal event of my life (so far).

About every week & a half I would be woken up at around 4:15 in the morning by intense cold, hairs standing on end, and an intense feeling of dread. I would also occasionally see a few different cats (A larger orange & white striped one, a black & white one, and a common tabby). These cats were also sometimes seen by friends visiting, though I hadn't told them about the phenomenon. ("I didn't know you had a cat" was a common thing for me to hear at the time)

One morning, I woke up in that same manner, freezing and terrified, and rolled over to look at the clock. 4:20 it said. I groaned about it and flopped back on my pillow to see a younger woman with long dark hair, wearing a late 60s / early 70s-style nightgown (with the lace around the collar and bottom hem) and holding a noose. Her neck was bruised up and she had a funny smile. I clenched my eyes shut and pulled the covers over my head, only to have an image pop into my head of my bathroom at a strange angle, and a pair of feet swinging near the toilet. I guess I went unconscious after that.

The next day I was constantly keeping an eye on my bathroom door, since I was now convinced that "she came from there." However, I assured myself that it was silly to be "freaked out by someone who's either dead or a figment of my imagination." I had also read about the Buddhist concept of hungry ghosts, and thought "maybe ghosts could use the Dharma too..."

So I lit a bunch of candles, shut out the lights, leaned into the bathroom and invited whatever was present to come and meditate with me, and sat down in front of my shrine in my bedroom. I began meditating and after about 10 minutes began to feel cold, but i told myself it was a draft and continued. Then I felt a pressure on my chest (as in a bad nightmare) but i had read that sometimes strange physical sensations arise in beginning meditators so i tried to ignore it. About 15 minutes later the pressure was still there so i decided to end my medidation. I stood up, and immediately felt fine, so i bowed to where i was sitting and said "Thank you for joining me, feel free to do this when ever you like." There was an extremely localized cold spot where i had been sitting.

After this event, I was no longer woken up in the morning as before, and although I still experienced that feeling of "something else is here" it was a much more positive feeling than a "dreadful" one.

If anyone knows anything about any suicides by hanging that took place in those apartments please let me know. I've checked the Lansing State Journal's online archives, but they don't go back far enough. The apartments in question were build in the mid-60s, and judging from her clothing, I would say this woman died in the early 70s... Anyway, I post this story in the Religion and Spirituality section because I feel like this "Buddhist" approach (teaching the ghost how to meditate) was more effective in this case than a typical "Christian Exorcism."

Interests:Intellectual discussions about anything as long everyone respects all opinions given.<br /><br />My dogs, cooking, studying (yes), painting and decorating, and learning something new almost every day that I visit Ghostvillage.

Posted 13 August 2008 - 08:29 PM

Welcome and what an eye-opening experience you had. I'd never even thought of doing that and I think it's really great. My gut tells me that she is very sad and afraid to leave and that by inviting her to meditate with you, you have given her some peace. Have you felt her at subsequent meditations?

Well, I certainly agree that not everything needs an exorcism, because everything we encounter in the paranormal realms is not necessarily evil. That was a great post! Thanks for sharing the experience with us and welcome to Ghostvillage!

In response to some of the questions - as i no longer live in that apartment, i have not encountered this particular spirit since i moved out. While I lived there, I didn't encounter her specifically while meditating anymore - i would still sense her around the apartment, as i said, but not while i was meditating. There were other times that i would walk by the shrine and notice a "cold spot" in front of my shrine as if she were seated there, but that's about it.

In the book "The Tibetan Yogas of Sleep and Dream" the author states that in the Bon tradition of Tibet, unsettled spirits are sometimes responsible for recurring sleep problems, and prescribes lighting incense and chanting mantras to either dispel the spirit or at least calm them down. I read this a couple years after the encounter i've posted here, and thought it was pretty relevant...

Location:Connecticut's Côte Brune (I've never seen brown sea water before)

Posted 10 September 2008 - 01:14 PM

I think that was a very smart thing to do; trying to get the spirit to meditate with you. Maybe, through repeated meditations, you can help the spirit realize that it's time to move on, and that they'll be alright.

As for the cats...you got me on that one. Unless the cats belonged to that woman, and somehow, they're attached to this place, too.

Good luck with your meditations. Remember, sometimes spirits just need attention and for someone to show that they care. Chasing them around and trying to exorcise them could only make them angry and feeling unwanted. Most spirits were people at one time, and they're looking for acceptance and (maybe even) love that they didn't feel when they were in the flesh.

Location:Connecticut's Côte Brune (I've never seen brown sea water before)

Posted 10 September 2008 - 01:38 PM

Arrrrggggg!

I tried to edit my post, after I saw that you'd written something at the same time I'd written the above posting; but I couldn't.

I can't even remember what I wrote, just 5 minutes ago!

To sum it up, I guess I can say that I'm glad that your meditation seemed to help this spirit.

Not all spirits have bad intentions. Sometimes, they're only looking for acceptance that they couldn't find when they were in the flesh. I'm happy to see that you're response to the spirit wasn't to automatically consider an exorcism, or to chase her away.

I think it's terrific, what you did. I hope her spirit is able to find peace and comfort.

Interests:I am a writer, a wife, a mother of 3, a grandmother of 5, an empathic psychic, and use my empathy to connect with both the living and those of spirit. I had a very near death experience in May 2008 that has brought me back to my paranormal life.<br />I love to travel. To camp. To visit museums, zoos and aquariums. I love to learn about people and places. I have a degenerative bone and muscle disease and expect to be in a wheelchair by the end of 2009 but I love Disney World and amusement parks. I love boating on quiet lakes and seeing sunsets and sunrises. I love hearing from others so write me if you'd like because as a writer I can never know too many interesting people.

Posted 28 October 2008 - 01:17 AM

Not all spirits have bad intentions. Sometimes, they're only looking for acceptance that they couldn't find when they were in the flesh. I'm happy to see that you're response to the spirit wasn't to automatically consider an exorcism, or to chase her away.

I think it's terrific, what you did. I hope her spirit is able to find peace and comfort.

I like what you said. Exorcism is a drastic response to a mild haunting or even a major non-violent one. I tend to ask once if they need help and then honor there decision. They sometimes need or want to be there. Sometimes they need to be there to resolve an issue or to pay for a deed in thier own mind. We interfere too quickly and for our own sarifaction. To believe we know best is just conceit on our part. They usually know whatr they are doing.